Loudspeaker Array Auto-EQ for Variable Directivity Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Line array loudspeaker systems with drivers oriented in a straight line often have a narrow directivity response, failing to reach all audience members in venues with multiple horizontal planes, leading to reduced intelligibility and listening ease.
Innovation Solution
A loudspeaker system with electro-acoustic drivers configured in various shapes (straight, J, reverse J, C) that includes sensors to detect the configuration and a processing device to automatically adjust equalization and gain, ensuring consistent sound output across different configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If drivers are oriented in a straight line, then the directivity response becomes narrow vertically, but the system structure becomes simple and easy to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic configurability of the driver array geometry, allowing the system to switch between straight line, J-shape, reverse J-shape, and C-shape configurations. This dynamic adaptation enables the directivity response to be optimized for different venue layouts and audience distributions, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and versatile coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the geometric parameters of the driver array (positions, orientations, and spacing of individual drivers) to achieve different configurations. By adjusting these parameters, the directivity pattern is modified to provide broader vertical and horizontal coverage when needed, while maintaining the ability to return to a simple straight-line configuration for standard applications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the driver configuration is changed to expand coverage, then the sound distribution improves, but the equalization and calibration become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automatic equalization and calibration capabilities that self-adjust when the driver configuration changes. The processing device automatically detects the configuration state and applies appropriate equalization settings without requiring manual intervention, thereby simplifying the operation despite the increased configurability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect the actual driver configuration and provides feedback to the processing device, which then automatically adjusts the equalization parameters. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that the sound distribution is optimized for each configuration while eliminating the need for complex manual calibration procedures.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensor types are used to detect configuration, then the detection accuracy improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a multi-functional sensor approach where a single sensor system performs multiple detection tasks (position, orientation, and configuration state). This universal sensor design achieves high measurement precision while avoiding the complexity increase that would result from deploying multiple specialized sensors for each measurement type.
Data Source
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AI summary
A loudspeaker includes a plurality of electro-acoustic drivers that are configured to be positioned so that an axis running through an acoustic center of the drivers is one of a substantially straight line, J-shape, reverse J-shape, and C-shape. The loudspeaker also includes at least one sensor to detect a configuration of the plurality of electro-acoustic drivers, and a processing device configured to automatically adjust one or more of an equalization and a gain applied to an audio signal output through the electro-acoustic drivers based on the detected configuration.